


Loyalty and Leverage

by Kerry_0506



Category: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)
Genre: Blackmail, Gen, Kidnapping, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-08-18
Updated: 2012-09-17
Packaged: 2017-11-12 09:58:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,969
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/489606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kerry_0506/pseuds/Kerry_0506
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anyone who knows Ethan Hunt knows that he would go to the ends of the Earth for his friends. But some people use that loyalty to their advantage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Hushed whispers surrounded Ethan, sounds that he could not see the source of. The hands that gripped his arms were tight and pulled him along roughly. He wished they hadn't put the bag over his head but he knew that if he refused, things would get a whole lot worse. He stumbled over some uneven ground, much to the apparent dislike of his captor, and he felt his arm tugged on even harder. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs and his breathing was shaky as he was led around a corner. Listening carefully, he heard what sounded like a large door being opened before he was shoved forwards.

"Ah, Agent Hunt." The voice sounded like it came from all different directions, however when the bag was pulled from his head, he saw the source. Standing a few meters in front of him, was the man Ethan recognised to be the target from their previous mission. Frank Richmond was known to be brutal in his out-of-business-hours dealings, but this was taking the cake. Glancing around, Ethan spotted at least five armed men aiming their guns at him, not to mention the three standing across the room. These men, however, were not aiming their guns at Ethan. In front of each of them sat a figure, all three were tied to chairs with bags over their heads. Ethan forced his gaze away from them and looked back to Richmond, who was staring at him with a malicious smile. "So glad you came."

"Not like I had a choice." Ethan retorted, flicking his gaze between each of the goons encircling him. "What is it you want?"

"Cutting right to the chase, I do like that Ethan." Richmond stepped towards him. "I can call you Ethan, can't I? Of course I can. Now, I know that you and your team completed a job recently. Your meddling has caused me some serious trouble and, well, that's not very convenient now, is it?" The tone in his voice taunted Ethan and his icy coldness sent a chill down the agent's spine. "Now I am willing to let this little occurrence slip under the radar, but you have to do something for me. A little job of my own. You do this and none of this ever happened."

Ethan looked back to the three hostages behind Richmond. "How do I know you're not lying?" he asked, staring directly into his captor's eyes. "How can I trust you?"

"You don't know. But I'm not."

"Before I agree to anything, I want proof." Richmond considered Ethan's demand before nodding slightly. He turned to the men behind the hostages, pointing at each one in turn and speaking to them in French. A few moments later, Ethan saw the bags pulled off the hostages' heads and underneath was the dreaded truth that Ethan feared. His stomach dropped at the sight and he clenched his teeth together as he tried to collect his thoughts, which had become a mess in a matter of seconds. Turning back to face Richmond, he nodded. "Ok. What do you want from me?"

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	2. Chapter 2

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

_**Two days earlier.** _

Jane sat on her usual chair in the corner of the café, sipping her latte and reading her book. Since joining IMF, she had developed a habit of sitting with her back to the wall; she had heard from Ethan that it was not uncommon. Sitting with your back exposed often left you open and vulnerable – something she had experienced first-hand. Fortunately for her, Benji and Ethan had been right nearby so when the man had crept up behind her and prepared to break her neck, they had attacked without a second thought. Leaning back against the wall, she let out a contented sigh, glad to finally have some time off to relax. She reached her hand down and grasped the mug in her hand, feeling the warmth against her hand as she lifted it to her lips.

As she placed the now empty mug back onto the table, she glanced across the room; ever since she was a child she had loved to people-watch. She used to go to the markets with her grandfather and sit eating pancakes, simply watching the world go by. They would often make up scenarios and conversations based on people's interactions and body language. She missed those days, however wouldn't change what she had there and then for the world. Her friendships with Ethan, Benji and Brandt were precious to her and that was something she could never give up. Taking out some money from her purse, she placed it on the table as she stood up, sliding her jacket on and collecting her things.

Suddenly, she felt slightly woozy, a strange sensation washing over her body from head to toe. At first she thought she had perhaps stood up too fast, but when the feeling didn't subside, she decided to step into the bathroom. Maybe washing her face would help. After locking the door behind her, she made her way to the sink, placing her bag on the tiles below as she reached out for the tap. It was then that she noticed her hands; they were trembling quite erratically. Her breathing picked up as she looked into the mirror, her vision beginning to blur as a terrifyingly rapid pace and when her legs finally gave out, she found herself collapsing to the ground in a heap.

The last thing she saw was someone dropping down from the windowsill and making their way towards her.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Brandt flopped down onto the sofa in his apartment, holding his Chinese take-out container in one hand, with the TV remote in the other. Placing his feet on the coffee table in front of him, he shuffled down into the squishy cushions as he flicked on the football. He had considered offering for Benji to join him, but he had decided against it; he wanted to spare himself of the typical Benji-rant of last time, when the Brit had explained to him how American football was not 'proper' football. The analyst snorted at the memory and grabbed his chopsticks, picking apart his stir fry with what he was sure was far too much enthusiasm.

Just as he got settled, his phone began to ring, causing him to drop his head back against the sofa and let out an irritated groan. When the phone didn't stop buzzing, he lifted his head and glared at it for a few seconds before finally putting his food on the table and making his way across the room. Noting the caller ID, he slid his thumb across the screen and lifted the phone to his ear.

"Ethan, hey, what's up?"

"Hey Brandt, have you heard from Jane today?"

"Not since we finished the mission, why?" Brandt bent down to grab a beer from the fridge as he spoke.

"I've been trying to call her since this afternoon but she's not answering her phone."

"And it surprises you that she's ignoring you? Ethan, after that little stunt you pulled last week, I wouldn't be surprised if it was months before she spoke to you again."

"It wasn't _that_ bad…" Ethan tried to defend himself.

"Dude, you almost set fire to her hair."

"Whatever. Look, can you just see if you can get hold of her and tell her to call me?"

"Fine, I'll do it now." Brandt hung up and sighed, finding Jane's number before hitting 'call'.

_"Hi this is the voicemail of Jane Carter. I can't ta-"_

As Brandt listened and prepared to leave a message, a sudden sharp pain in his neck made him jolt. Ending the call, he reached up his free hand and pulled something small from the skin just under his ear.

"What the fuck?" he whispered, examining the item, which looked suspiciously like a dart. Glancing to his right, he spotted the open kitchen window; a wave of nausea hitting him like a freight train when his legs began to wobble slightly. Down the hall, he heard the click of his apartment door and he was certain that his heart stopped for a moment. Taking each shaky step as slowly as he could, he moved towards his bedroom, hoping to grab his gun before the intruder found him, however one of his knees gave out under his weight and he hit the ground. Footsteps echoed behind him and he made a frantic last effort to get back up but he only got as far as his knees before a bag was placed over his head. He tried to fight but each movement became weaker until the drug did its work.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Oh, hello Benjamin!" Benji's neighbour smiled as she opened her door. "What can I help you with?"

"Hi Irene, I was just running some rubbish down. Did you have anything I can take for you?"

"Oh, aren't you the sweetest. I'll be just a second." Irene disappeared back into the apartment and returned a few moments later with two big bin-bags. "Thank you, darling. It really does surprise me that you don't have a beautiful girl on your arm." Benji had to stop himself from laughing. Irene was in her sixties and had no children, so had almost adopted Benji as her own. Ever since, she was trying to set him up with various women, much to the tech's amusement.

"Oh, I dunno…"

"Well, what about that young lady who I sometimes see you with? Lovely, pretty thing, dark hair."

"Who? Jane?" Benji asked, eyebrows raised. "Oh, no, she's like a sister to me." He quickly grabbed the bags and waved goodbye before Irene could say anything else. A few months earlier, she had suggested him going to the bingo with her, hoping to show him off to the ladies there. The thought actually terrified him. Making his way down the stairwell, he opened the side exit and stepped into the alleyway. Taking in a deep breath of the cool night air, he turned and approached the dumpsters.

"Ah shit." He exclaimed as one of Irene's bags broke, causing the contents to spill onto the gravel. He bent down, hoping to pick up as much as he could – well, that all depended on what the actual rubbish was – to put it back. As he rushed to sort out the items, he heard footsteps coming from further down the alleyway. Finishing the clean-up as best he could, he stood back up and threw the bags into the dumpster one by one.

"Excuse me!" a voice echoed between the walls and Benji looked up to see a man approaching him. He was holding a cigarette in one hand. "You wouldn't happen to have a light, would you?"

"Sorry, mate. I don't smoke." Benji replied, offering a small, apologetic smile as he threw the last bag into the bin. When he looked back, the man was still staring at him. "Look, uh, is there something else I can help you with?"

He suddenly sensed someone's presence behind him but before he could turn, an arm wrapped around him, pressing across his torso as something covered his mouth. Immediately recognising it to be a piece of material, Benji's fight instincts kicked in and he began to struggle. Shooting out his leg, he managed to catch the man in his kneecap, causing the grip to slacken, however it didn't take long for the second man to grab his legs and restrain them. The rag was forced harder over his nose and mouth and Benji could feel himself losing control over his limbs as his vision blurred. In the distance, he heard a vehicle screeching to a halt and the men began to carry him. By the time they reached the end of the alley, the chemicals on the rag had already taken hold and Benji was thrown into the van.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	3. Chapter 3

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Brandt…" A voice. A distant voice. A distant female voice. "Brandt?" Ok, a not-so-distant female voice. "Brandt!"

The analyst jumped and opened his eyes, sitting up much faster than his brain liked. Reaching up to grab his spinning head, he soon realised that his hands were bound together in front of him.

"Fuck!" he yelled, rubbing his head. He glanced over to his left to see a familiar figure sitting nearby. "Jane?"

"Yeah." She replied. He noticed that her wrists were also bound and she looked just as confused as he felt. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine… What happened to you?" Brandt continued to examine her for injuries, but she seemed ok. "Ethan called me saying that he couldn't get hold of you."

"Yeah, I think someone spiked my coffee, because the last thing I remember is passing out in the café." Brandt nodded, relieved that she was unharmed, but he still felt the need to ask.

"They haven't hurt you at all, have they?" he asked. A soft smile appeared on Jane's face as she shook her head.

"Making sure everyone else is ok. No, I just woke up here and that's that. What happened to you?"

"It would appear that they used some sort of tranquiliser dart." Jane raised her eyebrows.

"Well that's certainly creative of them."

"Yeah." Brandt sighed. "Any idea what these people want?"

"Not a clue." Jane replied, her voice deflated with a hint of fear; Brandt understood this. He knew that she was one of the toughest, bravest agents he knew. She took a hit to the stomach yet tried to hide it in order to go on with the mission. But she had never been in this kind of situation before. Granted, neither had Brandt, but being an analyst had allowed him to gain some experience in dealing with people that Jane may not have had. And he would use said experience to protect her at all costs. "If they've got us, do you think they're after Benji and Ethan too?"

"I don't know…" Before Brandt could utter another syllable, the door to their small prison burst open. The analyst slid back next to Jane and they watched as a man walked in with a limp figure thrown over his shoulder. The pair simply stared as the man dropped the body to the floor, glaring at them before leaving abruptly. As the door slammed, Brandt made his way over to the motionless person and lifted the bag off their head.

"Shit." He whispered, glancing down at Benji as he lay unconscious and tied up in the same way as them. He also seemed to be uninjured; Brandt was slightly confused by this. Usually, when enemies kidnapped agents, they were rough and merciless when it came to hurting them. These people, however, had gone to the trouble of drugging them and avoiding injury.

"Benji?" Jane's voice was barely audible as she crawled over, running a gentle hand over his blonde hair. She suddenly looked up at Brandt. "Do you think they're going after Ethan next?"

"It is a possibility." Brandt replied. "But there's also a chance that they've gone after us to get to Ethan. We both know what he's like if his friends are in trouble." Jane nodded, begging that Ethan would be alright.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Ethan paced his living room, slowly descending into some deep form of worry. He hadn't seen or heard from Brandt since he last spoke to the analyst the previous evening. Jane also had still not returned any of Ethan's calls and now Benji had gone M.I.A.

Things were going from bad to worse and from Ethan's history, this didn't bode well. He went over various scenarios in his head to try and figure out what was going on. Maybe Jane had taken a spontaneous vacation and asked them to join her. Then again, that wasn't very much like Jane at all. Maybe their phones had died.

_All of their phones, Ethan? Be realistic here._

Ok, maybe not that either. Maybe it was all just a practical joke; the team knew how on edge the team leader would get in stressful situations. He ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh. A glance at the clock told him that it was 1:15pm. That was more than twenty four hours since he first tried calling Jane. Forcing himself to sit down, he flopped onto the couch and rested his head in his hands. He knew that the others did have their own lives and were able to look after themselves, but something about this whole situation seemed off to him. For all three of his team to disappear off the face of the earth at the same time was too strange to purely be coincidence; and Ethan did not like it one bit.

Suddenly, his phone rang. Darting across the room, he grabbed it in his hands and was relieved to see the caller ID to be Jane. Smiling and letting out a small laugh at his own overreaction, he answered the call and brought the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Jane. Why the hell haven't you been answering your phone?" His smile faded, however, when the voice which responded was not his friend's.

"Hello, Agent Hunt." Ethan's heart stopped at this point.

"Who is this?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Where's Jane? What have you done to her?" Ethan's breathing threatened to fail him. He knew that in their line of work things were dangerous, but he had lost one too many teammates. He didn't want to add Jane to that list.

"Agent Carter is fine, you have no need to worry. Nor do you need to worry about Agents Dunn and Brandt. They are able to keep each other company while they wait."

 _Shit_ … Ethan's stomach twisted. They had Benji and Brandt too. This really wasn't good.

"Wait?" Ethan asked, trying to hide any emotion from his voice. They knew that Ethan cared about his friends, getting to him was what they wanted. He couldn't let them have that power. "Wait for what?"

"You, Agent Hunt." The voice was smooth and charming, yet so incredibly menacing at the same time. "This is what you are going to do. At exactly midnight tonight, you are to walk down to the alleyway to the left of your home. Five minutes after you arrive, you will be approached by two men who will blindfold you and take you to their van. Do not try to resist or fight them in any way or I will kill one of your team."

"Alright. I'll be there."

"Oh, and Agent Hunt."

"Yes?"

"Don't try anything stupid. You will be checked for weapons. And if my men find a single item out of place, you can say goodbye to one of your friends."

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	4. Chapter 4

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Ethan thought that the day couldn't have possibly gone any slower. He knew that time always seemed to travel slower when you were waiting for something, but this wasn't like waiting for exam results or waiting for your favourite television program to start. These were his friend's lives at risk. And it all had something to do with him. From the sound of things, Jane, Brandt and Benji had been abducted however he was being asked to go with them. This sounded like whatever this man wanted, the others were being held as means of getting Ethan there. What he was wanted for remained a mystery, but he knew that he would find out soon enough.

At five minutes to midnight, he checked his pockets to ensure he had nothing that would result in the death of a friend and threw on his jacket, waiting until his watch read midnight before locking his house and walking to the alleyway. Every passing vehicle made Ethan's heart jump with nerves and as he repeatedly checked his watch, his stomach became more and more uneasy. If he thought that the day had gone slowly, those five minutes waiting for the men were pure agony.

Suddenly, footsteps made Ethan freeze.

"Agent Hunt." He turned to see two men, just as described on the phone, approaching him.

"Yes." He held up his arms as a way of inviting them to check him for weapons, which they promptly did before retrieving a bag and placing it over his head. Once everything went dark, Ethan just hoped that the man was telling the truth and that it wasn't a trap.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Ethan waited for Richmond to explain what he wanted, risking a glance back to his team again. All three sat with their arms pulled roughly behind them while their respective captors aimed guns at their heads. All of them were conscious, yet they were gagged; clearly they had no say in what was happening around them. This was between Ethan and Richmond. They remained merely pawns in the bigger game.

"Now, Agent Hunt." Richmond finally began to speak, snapping Ethan out of his trance. "The only person who has caused more, shall we say, financial difficulty than you and your team here is this man." Richmond pulled a photograph from his suit pocket and handed it to Ethan. It was a man approximately the same age as his captor with slightly greying hair and piercing blue eyes. "Gerald Simmons. He is my main competitor when it comes to business and quite frankly, he is standing in my way of late."

"And what do you need me for?" Ethan asked, raising his gaze from the image to Richmond's face.

"I need him to back off from his work. It is the only way I can take further steps in the business world. You know how it is." He spoke with an evil smirk on his face, causing Ethan to fear what was about to be asked of him.

"Alright, I'm listening."

"This is Simmons' only son, Jared." Richmond handed Ethan a second photograph of a man, in his early twenties. It was clear that this was Gerald Simmons' son; the resemblance was striking. "You are to take him out as a warning for his father to back down." Ethan had been expecting various requests, but this was far from what he thought. Glancing over to his teammates, he saw them all sitting wide-eyed, shaking their heads. He knew that they understood what this would mean. If Ethan killed Jared Simmons, he would be disavowed from IMF and, if caught, sent down for murder. That was what Richmond wanted; he wanted Ethan to pay for what they did and he also wanted his business rival to step back. Doing this himself would cause him more troubles and he really didn't seem like the kind of man to get his hands dirty. He probably thought that getting Ethan to do his dirty work would result in the situation staying clear from Richmond; Simmons backing away from business would probably simply seem like a grief mechanism, allowing Richmond's company to climb the ladder in the wake of Jared's death. Ethan could tell by the looks in their eyes that none of his friends were ok with this, but he wouldn't let them suffer any more than they already had. He knew that once he did this, he would have to disappear into the woodwork, leaving his team alone. He couldn't be sure that once he ran, Richmond wouldn't have the others killed anyway, but if this gave them the slightest chance of surviving this ordeal, he would take it.

"If I agree to this, I need a guarantee that my team will remain unharmed and that you will release them." Ethan avoided looking at his friends as he spoke, not wanting to see the heartbreak in their eyes.

"You do this and they walk free." Richmond replied, motioning for the guards to replace the bags over their heads. Ethan was slightly relieved of this, one of the main reasons being the look in Benji's eyes at the suggestion of what Ethan had to do. A while back, Benji had explained to Ethan that he had been the reason that the tech had taken the field exam. He had said that he admired the older agent and was inspired by him to get out of the lab. He knew that Benji looked up to him as some sort of role model and to let him down like this almost made Ethan refuse Richmond's proposal. Finally, Ethan plucked up the courage to respond.

"Fine." He gave a sharp nod and inhaled quickly, watching the smile that Richmond displayed.

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement. You have twenty four hours to complete the job. We will call you at midnight tomorrow with instructions." Richmond paused for a moment. "Oh, and I would like some proof that you have done as I asked. Jared has a ring, he is never seen without it. Bring me that and we go our separate ways."

"Alright." Ethan spoke dryly, knowing that he had practically signed his own death warrant.

"Well then, I'll be seeing you." Richmond's smile was the last thing Ethan saw before the bag was replaced on his head and he was dragged back the way he came. Little did Richmond know, the agent had already formulated a plan in his mind that would get him and his team out of this situation and leave him in the ground, for good.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	5. Chapter 5

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Jane, Benji and Brandt were thrown back into their cell however much to their relief, their hands were not tied this time. Brandt ran a gentle hand over Jane's wrists where they were bruised from the ropes, reassuring her that everything would be ok. Glancing across the room, he spotted Benji, who was sitting with his back against the wall. The tech was stony quiet and was staring into space, causing Brandt to feel some concern. He knew that it had everything to do with their current situation and he also knew that he had to do something about it. Sliding across the cold floor, he sat down next to his friend.

"Benj, we're gonna be ok." He spoke kindly.

"I know." Benji's voice was flat and broken, tugging at Brandt's heart. "Ethan shouldn't have to do this." The Brit continued to stare at the wall opposite them as if the answer to their troubles would etch itself into the brick.

"I know, nothing about this is right. For all we know, he might have a plan to get out of this, but until then, we just have to wait." Brandt offered. "You know what he's like if his friends need help. He'd give anything t-"

"That's the point." Benji interrupted. "He's lost so much. So many friends, colleagues, then he lost Julia and now this…" Finally, he turned to Brandt with a heartbreaking look in his eyes. "Hasn't he given enough?" Brandt heard those words and his resolve began to fall. He knew that Ethan had seen many of his friends get killed. Julia may not have been dead, but he had to say goodbye to a life with her in order to protect her and now, he was going to lose everything else about the life he knew in so that he could save theirs. It really didn't seem fair.

"Benji's right." Jane spoke up. "We need to do something. I'm not prepared to sit around feeling sorry for myself while Ethan destroys his life for this bastard." Brandt looked back to Benji who nodded in agreement. After a few seconds of thought, Brandt nodded too.

"Alright, here's what we do."

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Hey!" Jane yelled through the small gap in the door.

"What the hell d'you want?" A gruff voice drifted back.

"How about a bathroom break?" she spoke with her best seductive tone – considering what she was saying – and a few seconds later, the lock clicked. She threw a nervous glance at the guys before facing the door as it opened. Once the guard had stepped inside, Jane made her move. In the blink of an eye, she had the man's gun and was aiming it at his head; Brandt and Benji were glad to have her on side. "Don't try anything." She warned, nodding towards the door as a signal for him to walk. As they got outside the cell, just as expected, the two other guards were on them in a flash, however Brandt and Benji were ready, disarming them swiftly.

"Alright, move." Brandt ordered. The trio and their hostages stepped slowly and quietly, moving through the building with the hopes of reaching the exit. Only a few seconds later, however, there was a 'click' followed by a voice.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Moving with their captives, Brandt and Benji turned to see Richmond standing behind Jane with a gun to her head. She still had her gun aimed at the guard but he turned and took it with ease.

 _Shit_. Brandt thought, risking a glance at Benji, who mirrored his nervous expression.

"Now, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Richmond pushed the gun further into the back of Jane's head and she was about to fight back but more guards appeared behind her teammates and she froze. She saw the two men looking around them trying to figure out what to do, but when Richmond pulled her back by her hair, she couldn't stop the cry of surprise. "Stand down or Agent Carter gets a bullet for your troubles."

"Fine." Brandt snapped, holding the gun out in surrender; Benji cursing under his breath as he followed suit. Once their hostages relieved them of their weapons, Richmond's men attacked. Jane tried to run to their aid, but Richmond held on tightly, forcing her to watch helplessly as her friends were beaten.

Benji was the first to go down. He fought back with great strength and vigour but after three consecutive pistol-whips, all it took was a punch to the jaw and he hit the ground in an unconscious heap. Brandt continued to fight for a few seconds longer but when Benji's motionless, bloodied figure caught his eye, the momentary distraction allowed one guard to get him in a chokehold. Bringing his knee up to Brandt's face, the man repeated the motion until the analyst's nose broke and his body went still. Jane watched the men pick up Benji and Brandt, throwing them back into their cell mercilessly. Their arms were roughly pulled behind their back and bound once more before the guards left the room. Richmond tied Jane's wrists too and pulled her close.

"Don't try anything like that again or your friends will get much more than that." He then caught her off guard, backhanding her across the face and sending her sprawling to the ground. She spat out the blood from her split lip and turned just in time to see the door slam behind them. Clenching her teeth together, she quickly slid across the floor to her unconscious teammates, unwillingly letting a few tears escape.

"I'm so sorry…" she whispered, hoping that they would wake up soon.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	6. Chapter 6

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

Ethan approached Simmons' house with caution, brushing off his leather jacket before he rang the doorbell. The house was grand and majestic with large doors and a sweeping driveway which surrounded a large weeping willow. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribs and the rushing of his blood resounded in his ears as he waited for the door to open. His plan could go one of two ways; it would either go right and everything would return to normal – well, their version of normal – or it could go horribly sour and he might never leave this building. After what seemed like an eternity, footsteps sounded and the light in the foyer turned on.

"Yes?" The man who opened the door seemed almost too stereotypical as far as the idea of a butler went.

"Hello, sir, my name is Ethan. I would like to speak with Mr Simmons, please." Ethan offered a small smile.

"Is Mr Simmons expecting you?" the butler asked.

"Well, no. But this is a matter of great urgency. Regarding his son." Ethan saw the butler's eyes widen slightly at this statement and the door opened slightly wider.

"I see. Well please come in. I shall let Mr Simmons know that you are here." Ethan stepped inside, his shoes making small sounds on the marble floor beneath him. The butler disappeared through some doors and the room fell quiet, leaving Ethan to his worry. Even his own breathing seemed loud in the room as it reverberated off the cream walls, which were decorated by paintings. They displayed the family, starting with just Mr and Mrs Simmons, then the next showed them with a small baby. The paintings continued along the hall until the Jared was a teenager, when the family fell to two. Simmons' wife must have died when Jared was still quite young.

"Mr Simmons will see you, sir." The butler's voice sliced through the silence like a sharp blade and made Ethan jump. "Please follow me." Ethan nodded and approached the doors, walking through in the direction that the butler took. When he finally reached what appeared to be the study, he saw Simmons. He sat on the deep sofa, flanked by men in suits; Ethan presumed these were his security. Under different circumstances, the agent may have laughed at the clichés of it all, but jokes were not appropriate when his friends were in danger.

"Come in, son." Simmons spoke up, his voice surprisingly welcoming. "What is your name?"

"My name is Ethan, sir. I'm afraid I come with some news that may not be well met." Ethan saw Simmons' eyebrows raise and he nodded.

"Go on."

"Sir, I was sent here by Frank Richmond."

"Richmond?" Simmons asked, clearly unsure of the revelation. "What does he want?" Ethan took in a deep breath in preparation for what he was going to say next.

"You see, sir, I'm afraid he wants me to kill your son." As soon as the words left his mouth, Ethan saw all of Simmons' security lift their hands to their belts, no doubt ready to shoot if the stranger posed any threat.

"Excuse me?" Simmons spoke firmly, taking the news as Ethan had expected.

"Richmond told me to kill your son in an attempt to make you step down from business." Ethan explained, inwardly crossing his fingers.

"Well why are you here telling me this?" Simmons held up his hand to stop his guards from simply killing Ethan on the spot.

"Sir, I am not prepared to do that. I do not wish to kill anyone."

"Then have you not told Richmond this?"

"I can't, sir. He has taken three of my friends as hostages and is threatening to kill them if I do not comply with his demands." Ethan's voice was slightly strained as he spoke, noting the slight hint of understanding in Simmons' eyes.

"Then what are you planning to do?" The older man was clearly quite thrown by all of this, however Ethan was glad that he was giving him the benefit of the doubt. Besides, it was clear that the agent was outnumbered right now.

"Sir, I have come up with a plan that I believe will work in not only saving my friends, but also allowing you to take vengeance on Richmond, if you so wish." Simmons nodded gently, his eyes making it obvious that he was considering the options in his mind.

"I'm listening."

"Ok, well Richmond told me that your son has a ring that he never takes off. He asked me to bring that to him as proof of your son's death." Ethan began. "If I could borrow the ring for the time being, I believe that will provide a distraction for you to make your move." Simmons continued to nod as Ethan spoke, waiting for the next part of the plan. Ethan just hoped that everything would work.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	7. Chapter 7

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"Ah, Agent Hunt. So glad you came back." Ethan strode across the room to Richmond and held out his hand. "What's this?"

"Exactly what you asked for." Ethan dropped the ring into Richmond's hand, glancing behind the man to see his three friends in the same positions as they were earlier, however this time something was different. Brandt had blood covering the entire left side of his face and also from both his nose and the bridge of his nose. Benji had the same crimson liquid snaking down from the edge of his left eyebrow and his right cheek, which was also bruised, and Jane had a nasty split in her lip. "What is going on? You promised that you wouldn't hurt them!" Ethan blurted out.

"Well, you see, your little friends here tried to escape and we couldn't have that now, could we?" Richmond spoke maliciously with an evil smile on his face, causing Ethan's blood to boil. He then looked down to the item in his hand. "You've done your job well, Agent Hunt."

"So now it's time for you to hold up your end of the bargain." Ethan prompted, staring directly into Richmond's eyes.

"Of course." The business man turned to his guards. "Release them." Ethan watched as the armed men pulled out knives and for a split second he feared that Richmond would go back on his word, but he was taken over by relief when the men began to cut his friends loose. Once the ropes were off, each agent stood up, however the guards grasped their arms, keeping them firmly in place. Richmond turned back to Ethan and smiled. "I think it would be time for you to run."

"What about my team?"

"We will drop them off on the outskirts of town once you have left. I don't break my promi-" Richmond was cut off when a series of gunshots erupted across the room. Simmons and his men had begun to fire right on cue, sending Richmond's guards into frenzy. Ethan ducked and ran across the room towards his friends, seeing their captors drop one by one as bullets embedded themselves in their bodies. He gasped when a stray caught Jane in the thigh, just below her hip, causing her to cry out and collapse to the ground. As he continued to run, he saw Brandt and Benji fall next to her in order to help.

"Ethan!" Brandt called out, motioning for him to hurry. He sped up and finally got close, just in time to see Richmond moving too. His eyes widened when he realised what the man was planning, however he wasn't fast enough to prevent the man grabbing Benji around the throat and dragging him away from the group.

"Benji!" he yelled out to his friend, who was struggling as the man pulled him across the room towards an open door. Ethan turned quickly to Brandt and Jane, who was clutching at her leg. "Brandt, get Jane to safety. I've gotta go after them."

"It's fine, go!" Brandt looked at the older agent desperately and Ethan nodded before dashing through the chaos after Richmond and Benji.

Benji clawed at the man's arm as it tightened around his throat, stumbling as he found himself being dragged up some stairs. About fifteen steps up, he tripped, landing painfully on his knee as he hit the ground.

"Get up!" Richmond shouted, grabbing Benji by the scruff of his t-shirt and yanking him to his feet. This time, the man pulled out a gun and pushed Benji in front of him, constantly jabbing the weapon into the tech's back. "Keep moving or so help me god, I will kill you." Benji moved up the stairs as fast as he could, his breathing rapid and shallow as he begged to not die. Suddenly, a gunshot rang out behind him and he turned to see Richmond aiming his gun down the stairwell. He began to run again, this time faster with the hopes of finding somewhere to hide, but he soon felt the gun jabbing into his back once more.

Ethan took the stairs two at a time as he ran after his friend. A loud bang echoed around the small space and he looked up to see Richmond, about five floors up, pointing his weapon at him. Ethan quickly moved so that he was out of the way and began to run again.

When Benji reached the top floor, he was pushed through a door and, to his horror, found himself on the roof of the building. He felt terrified, wondering what would happen next. What did Richmond have in store for them? There was nowhere for them to go up here.

"We're gonna go for a little ride." Richmond smirked, keeping the gun aimed at Benji as he pulled out his phone.

"Ride?" Benji's voice trembled slightly as he spoke.

"Just wait and see, Agent Dunn." Richmond put the phone to his ear. "Smith. Send a chopper." There was a pause. "Just two of us." He then hung up and stepped closer to Benji. The tech felt ill at the thought. Once he was taken on that helicopter, there was a high chance that the others would not be able to come after them. Not when Jane needed medical attention. And once Richmond got away from there, Benji probably wouldn't be needed anymore.

This was probably it.

Suddenly, the door burst open again and Ethan came hurtling through it. Benji felt a slither of hope but it only lasted a few seconds as Richmond turned and fired his gun, catching Ethan in the shoulder. The tech used his captor's distraction to his advantage and ran at the man, grabbing for the gun.

As Ethan fell to his knees, he grasped at his shoulder and tried to blink away the blurry spots in his vision. He heard the gun go off once more and his stomach turned, worrying that it was Benji, however when he looked up, the sight could possibly be considered far worse. Richmond was now standing right on the edge of the roof, one hand held his gun while the other was outstretched over the brink. In that hand, he was grasping Benji's shirt, causing him to lean over the fatal drop with only the toes of his boots still on the concrete. If Richmond let go now…

"Richmond, it's over!" Ethan shouted, hoping that the man would come to his senses.

"For you, Agent Hunt, yes it is over." Richmond smiled. "You should go attend to Agent Carter now. Agent Dunn and I are leaving here and you are going to let us. If you don't, well I'm afraid your little friend here will take a fall." To emphasise his point, he shook Benji by the shirt, causing the younger man to let out an involuntary yelp of fear. Benji grabbed the man's arm, hoping to at least sturdy himself.

"You know I can't let you do that." Ethan rose to full height, aiming his weapon at Richmond.

"Ah, be careful, Hunt. You do that and Benjamin here goes with me." Ethan looked across at Benji who, despite the fear in his eyes, managed a nod.

"Do it." He mouthed at the older agent and Ethan felt his heart sink. Benji was willing to die in order to stop Richmond escaping. Ethan admired the man's bravery, but he couldn't risk his life like that. Ethan shook his head at the tech and lowered his weapon. At least if Richmond took Benji, they would be able to go after them.

Benji's eyes widened at Ethan's actions, his breathing picking up as he realised that the great Ethan Hunt was surrendering. This was not how things were supposed to go. Ethan had managed to save them so far so he would be damned if the man was giving up now. Benji knew that he had to do something. In a spontaneous moment, he twisted in his position, grabbing and wrenching Richmond's arm in a way that disengaged it from his shirt. The man began to fall and Benji saw him move, wondering if his plan had worked, however a tug on his shirt made him jolt backwards and he threw a last glance in Ethan's direction before he felt himself falling.

To Ethan, everything seemed to happen so fast. One minute, Richmond and Benji were standing there and the next, both of them had disappeared over the edge.

"Benji!" he screamed, rushing to the edge of the roof. He dreaded the sight he would witness when he peered over, not really wanting to see the broken body of his friend lying on the concrete. When he finally plucked up the courage to look, he saw something that gave him hope. Benji was holding onto the edge of the roof with a white knuckle grip and his face was pained as he tried to stay up. Ethan reached out with both hands, ignoring the pain radiating from his injured shoulder, and grabbed Benji's arms, however when he did, he saw Richmond hanging onto Benji's foot.

"Ethan, I can't hold on…" Benji breathed, squeezing his eyes shut as the weight of both himself and Richmond tugged on his arms. He knew that once the helicopter arrived for Richmond, if they saw Ethan then they would kill him. He wouldn't let that happen. "Please, Ethan, just go."

"I'm not leaving you." Ethan spoke with authority as he refused to let go of Benji. "I'm not letting you go. You can do this, Benji. I know you can." Ethan pushed the agony from his wound aside as he stared directly into Benji's eyes, willing him to not give up. He saw Benji wanting to fight, wanting to disobey, but after a few seconds, the younger man nodded and looked down at the man hanging beneath him. Benji lifted up his free leg and kicked out, catching Richmond in the head. It took a few tries, but Benji soon felt the grip on his ankle loosen. Finally, he was released and he heard Richmond scream as he fell to his death. Benji felt his fingers slip from the roof, but Ethan's grasp on his arms stopped him from following Richmond and he let out a sigh of relief as he and Ethan worked to get him back onto solid ground. The pair fell back onto the rooftop and breathed for a few moments, trying to overcome the shock from how close they came to death. They would have thought that after missions like theirs, they would be used to the feeling, but close calls were never easy to deal with. A noise soon drifted into Benji's ears and he realised that the chopper was nearby.

"Ethan, we have to move…" he spoke weakly as he rolled onto his side. Ethan looked at him, listening to the whirring sound of the incoming rotors and nodded. They got to their feet and moved as quickly as they could to the door, closing it behind them just in time. It was over.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


	8. Chapter 8

o.o.o.o.o.o.o

"How's the leg?" Jane turned at the voice and saw Ethan approaching with his arm in a sling. She had to smile at this, as it was almost a complete role reversal of their meeting after India.

"It's getting there. How about you?" She watched him sit down at the table.

"Still have to wear this stupid thing." Ethan motioned towards the sling and shrugged. "But I'm doing good. Where are the others?"

"Getting the drinks." As if on cue, Ethan spotted the pair making their way over carrying four beers between them.

"Hey Ethan." Brandt smiled at the older agent. "We took the liberty, hope that's ok." Brandt motioned towards the beer as he placed it in front of Ethan.

"That's fine, thanks." Ethan smiled back at Brandt before looking at Benji. It was the first time they had all been together since their ordeal and the leader was glad to see that their injuries were clearing up. Obviously the gunshot wounds and head injuries would leave scars, but the four of them were alive. To Ethan, it felt an awful lot like their meeting in Seattle following the Cobalt mission; the four agents coming back together after facing a dangerous situation, happy and smiling in knowing that they had come out on top. It was nice being able to have some well-deserved rest and down time after what they had gone through and they made the most of it.

After an hour or so, the team went their separate ways, Brandt and Jane heading to their cars while Ethan beginning the walk back home. As he walked, a voice caught his attention.

"Ethan, wait up." He turned to see Benji half-walking, half-jogging in his direction. "Mind if I walk with you? My car's this way."

"Sure." Ethan smiled at the younger agent. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, you know me." Benji gave one of his trademark smiles, but Ethan threw a serious glance in his direction.

"Benji, you were kidnapped, shot at and almost fell from an eight story building. I don't expect you to be fine." Ethan knew it was blunt, but it seemed to do the trick.

"Well, I'm not really sleeping all that well, but it'll pass. It did after the Cobalt mission." He shrugged as they walked, shoving his hands deep into his pockets. Ethan saw the way Benji's face fell as he said those words and sighed. He spotted a bench a few meters ahead so motioned towards it and they sat down.

"Benji, talk to me. Don't keep things inside, ok? I saw you after the Cobalt mission, you went to talk about it but when you were interrupted, you just kept it to yourself. It's not healthy." Ethan watched the way Benji stared out over the city. "I'm here. I'm listening."

Benji sighed, chewing on his lower lip as he tried to figure out what to say. "It's just… I-I keep getting this inkling, this nagging feeling at the back of my mind that, I dunno, maybe I'm not good enough for the field."

"What makes you say that?" Ethan had expected Benji to say a few various things, but that was not one of them.

"I dunno, I guess… I just see you and Brandt and Jane and you're all great. I mean, I make all these mistakes and stuff. Then I tried to be all heroic with Richmond and I fucked that up too." Benji dropped his head into his hands and let out another exasperated sigh. "And I have nightmares. I did after killing Wistrom and now after killing Richmond. What kind of agent has nightmares?"

There was a pause before Ethan spoke up again. "Me."

"What?" Benji lifted his head up and turned to his friend. "You have ni- about what?"

"Did you ever hear of Jack Harmon?" Ethan asked.

"Uh, I've heard of him. Great technician who worked wonders in the field. Other than that, I don't know much." Benji answered. "Why?"

"Well, he was a great guy. A loyal friend. He was fun to be around." Ethan turned to face Benji. "You remind me of him, to be honest." Benji smiled at this.

"What happened?"

"He was murdered." The words came out a little blunter than Ethan had hoped, but the memory had crept into his mind against his will and he had to shut his eyes. He felt Benji tense next to him, but went on. "Even to this day, I still see him at night. Still hear the sound of when…" Ethan trailed off. He didn't want to add to Benji's nightmares by describing what had happened. "The point is, Benj, that we all have our demons. We all have memories that will haunt us forever. That is nothing to be ashamed of." Benji nodded, trying to make sure that Ethan's words sank into his brain.

"I guess I'll just never get used to killing people." He looked down to count the eyeholes on his boots.

"No one expects you to, Benji. Come to terms with it, yes. But get used to it? Being affected by death is what makes us human." When the younger man nodded in understanding, Ethan stood up. "You gonna be ok?"

"I'll be fine." Benji smiled, getting to his feet also. "Oh and Ethan?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." Ethan nodded at the Brit's words.

"Don't mention it." He smiled and turned to walk away.

"No, I mean, thanks for saving my life." Benji's lips formed a straight, thin line as his blue eyes stared into Ethan's own. "If you hadn't been there to help, I… I probably would have given up." Ethan really didn't know what to say to this so he merely smiled and placed his hand on Benji's shoulder. If Ethan had to be there every time Benji felt like giving up, then he would be.

o.o.o.o.o.o.o


End file.
